“Ah! you like quiet now, do you?”
“Very much.”
Auguste knocked. The door was opened by Signora Falenza, at sight of whom Bertrand said to himself:
“If there’s only faces like this one here, we shall certainly be very quiet.”
The old woman escorted the strangers to their rooms, showing them every courtesy. As they passed through a passageway they met the fair Cecilia, who bowed pleasantly to the young Frenchman. Whereupon Bertrand heaved a sigh and thought:
“This is the economy the lieutenant mentioned!”
The travellers being installed in their apartment, Signora Falenza left them, saying:
“When you gentlemen wish for anything, you need only come to my room; my niece and I will hasten to offer our services.”
“In that case,” thought Auguste, “I hope that I shall frequently have occasion to seek them.”
Bertrand inspected the two rooms, and at each object that he examined, frowned and muttered: